Cong in touch with SAD leaders in Ludhiana

Wednesday, 07/12/2016

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=169394&boxid=58711&uid=&dat=2016-12-07

Ludhiana : Dozen of Congress leaders have applied for party ticket to contest 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections from Atam Nagar and South constituencies of Ludhiana. However, if sources are to be believed Congress high command is in constant touch with leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

From Atam Nagar segment, senior leader Kulwant Singh Sidhu, KK Bawa, Youth Congress leader Parvinder Singh Lapran, Gurdeep kaur, Jasvir Singh Jassal, Gurbhej Singh Chabbra have applied for party ticket. The party has shortlisted names of Sidhu, Bawa and Lapran but now Congress have initiated a dialogue with SAD leaders before declaring taking a decision on candidates.

At present Atam Nagar and Ludhiana South segment is represented by Independent MLA Simarjit Singh Bains and his brother Balwinder Singh Bains. Bains brothers have formed their party and forged alliance with Aam Aadmi Party. The Congress leadership wanted to field heavyweight leader or some celebrity who can give fight to Akali Dal and AAP candidates.

Sources in Congress party said that SAD councillor kamaljit Singh Karwal who was once right hand man of Simarjit Singh Bains is in talks with Congress leaders. Congress leaders believed that if Karwal contest’s elections, it will be jolt to Akali Dal as well as Bains. However Karwal avoided commenting on joining the Congress but Akali Dal leaders have approached him with offer of post of Mayor in 2018 civic polls.Apart from Karwal, district president of Shiromani Akali Dal and close aide of Sukhbir Singh Badal, Madan Lal Bagga was also offered Congress ticket from Atam Nagar. However Bagga is reluctant to contest from north constituency.

Despite several attempts, Bagga didn’t attend the phone call of Daily Post correspondent, but his son Aman Bagga said that his father will contest elections from north constituency only.

North constituency is in quota of BJP but even then Bagga hopes to get the seat swapped with Shiromani Akali Dal. Aman Bagga said that Akali Dal president has given green signal for contesting elections and if the seat will not be swapped between SAD and BJP, even then his father will contest elections.

However, Bagga denied joining Congress but Congress leaders claimed that Akali Dal’s leader is in their contact and may soon join the party. Meanwhile, Congress has also approached Meetpal Singh Dugri, zonal president of Student Organization of India (SOI) wing of Shiromani Akali Dal to join the party but talks did not matured.

Kamaljit Karwal and Meetpal Dugri were also the contenders of Akali Dal ticket from Atam Nagar but the ruling party has announced Industrialist Gurmeet Singh Kular as its candidate. The other contenders Harbhajan Singh Dang and Jagbir Singh Sokhi were given the post of chairman after they were denied ticket.

In Ludhiana south constituency, Congress is facing similar issue of finding the suitable candidate.In South segment, Congress is in talks with Akali Dal councillor Jaspal Singh Giaspura, son of former Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura. Jaspal was also top contender of ticket but Akali Dal has allocated ticket to former minister Hira Singh Giaspura. Sources in Congress added that Giaspura was asked to join party unconditionally.